Java File Reading Techniques: NIO vs IO with Examples

Introduce Java Read Files and give examples

Reading files in Java is a common task that can be accomplished using various classes and methods provided by the Java Standard Library. The most commonly used classes for reading files are found in the java.nio.file package and the java.io package. Below, I'll introduce both approaches and provide examples for each.

Using java.nio.file (NIO)

The java.nio.file package provides a more modern and flexible way to handle file I/O. The Files class contains static methods that make it easy to read files.

Example: Reading a File as a List of Strings

This example demonstrates how to read all lines from a file into a List<String>.

import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Paths;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.List;

public class ReadFileNIO {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String filePath = "example.txt"; // Specify the path to your file

        try {
            List<String> lines = Files.readAllLines(Paths.get(filePath));
            for (String line : lines) {
                System.out.println(line);
            }
        } catch (IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
}

Using java.io

The java.io package provides classes like FileReader, BufferedReader, and FileInputStream for reading files. This approach is more traditional and can be used for reading files in a more controlled manner.

Example: Reading a File Line by Line

This example shows how to read a file line by line using BufferedReader.

import java.io.BufferedReader;
import java.io.FileReader;
import java.io.IOException;

public class ReadFileIO {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String filePath = "example.txt"; // Specify the path to your file

        try (BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(filePath))) {
            String line;
            while ((line = br.readLine()) != null) {
                System.out.println(line);
            }
        } catch (IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
}

Summary

• NIO (java.nio.file): Provides a more modern and convenient way to read files, especially for reading all lines at once or working with file paths.
• IO (java.io): A traditional approach that allows for more control over how files are read, especially useful for reading large files line by line.

Both methods are effective, and the choice between them often depends on the specific requirements of your application and personal preference.